Authors: Dixie Lynn Dwyer
“Cysure Corp is an international company that owns hundreds of businesses. It’s huge, so huge of an operation it has millions of employees,” Quinn began to say.
“Who is the owner?” Vanderlan asked, and Dani caught his gaze shift to Zespian, and as she looked at Zespian, he remained staring at her. She felt her blood begin to hum with awareness.
What the fuck?
“Calm down, Daniella, it is not what you think. Just relax. He is not an enemy.”
“What is he to me, then? I feel some sort of connection to him, yet, I don’t even know who he is.”
“With time, Daniella,”
Vanderlan told her through their mind link, and she pulled her hand away from his in frustration.
Randolph’s hand on her thigh tensed a moment, and then he began to caress her softly.
“So I had to do a lot of digging. It was hours of digging, and interestingly enough I found out that Cysure Corp, over the last five years, has been financially supporting a private medical facility under the care of Dr. Evans. He is a human. However, his associate, Lemlock Porter, a London scientist with the Claiborne Pack, is involved along with Marfur Cartright,” Quinn stated.
“Marfur Cartright? Isn’t he a commander to Dismar, an elder of the circle?” Van asked.
“Sure as shit he is. It appears, through further investigation, that the Cartright Pack and Dismar himself want to take over your territory and your pack. One of my informants gave me the heads up. He’s got a man working undercover in Cysure. There’s been some buzz about a special experiment, but only a handful of individuals are involved. I am assuming it has something to do with the rogue wolf Dani killed. Your land is a phenomenal and strategic piece of property. Though small, the Fagan Pack contains all the characteristics and special individuals to maintain power. Now, with Daniella here being a healer, she adds to the bonus package,” Quinn told them.
“Fuck! That piece of shit is a damn elder, and he’s planning this type of treason? We need to inform the other leaders. We need to speak with someone of authority on this matter before he tries something else, besides this rogue wolf Daniella killed,” Van stated firmly.
“We need to gather further evidence then make arrangements to speak with elders who can be trusted. We should contact Samantha, the Valdamar Pack, or Lord Crespin. They have been trying to weed out the evildoers, even those connected to the circle,” Angus stated.
“It won’t be a problem to get Valdamar’s assistance in this. Samantha will definitely want to meet with Daniella, and she’ll send any necessary help you all need to maintain control of what is Fagan territory,” Zespian added.
Dani felt the same thing inside of her as Zespian felt. It was just a minor feeling, like recognition, and it came from Vanderlan.
She used her mind to seek more answers when she felt the gentle caress of a finger against her cheek. She blinked her eyes and absorbed the fact that she was next to Van and he hadn’t moved a muscle.
Vanderlan.
She looked at him, and he wasn’t even looking at her, yet she felt him again caress her cheek. She knew it was him and her entire body warmed.
The conversation continued around her as she stood up and slowly walked toward Vanderlan. But instead of stopping near him, she walked toward the refrigerator and right by Zespian.
Vanderlan tensed a moment, and she felt his eyes upon her and so were Zespian’s.
She took a sip of water then placed the glass into the sink. With Zespian inches away from her, she felt an awareness flow through her veins. Her blood moved a little quicker or perhaps identified with something in the surrounding environment.
“We’ll notify all pack Alphas of the situation and to remain on guard for any potential attacks,” Van stated, and Dani looked at him from across the kitchen. The conversation seemed to end, and some of the Fennigan Pack stood up as everyone conversed.
“You did an excellent job, Daniella. I wouldn’t have expected anything less. It is an honor to have you as part of the Fagan Pack. Many will be thrilled as they hear of your existence.” Zespian bowed his head then lifted back up to smile at her.
He was a very nice man, and she felt his sincerity, but she also heard the bit of nervousness in his voice and even saw the tension in his body.
He stared into her eyes, and she held his gaze. There was something there. Some kind of connection.
“Did we ever meet before that night at the crime scene? I mean at the department or something, because I don’t recall ever meeting you yet, something about you is so familiar.”
He looked as if he were about to answer when his eyes changed from an awareness and brightness to a bit of fear, she thought, as Vanderlan wrapped his arms around her from behind.
She felt her mind go fuzzy, the need to interrogate Zespian disappeared, and instead she absorbed the feeling of being in Vanderlan’s arms and feeling his embrace as his body remained against her.
“I think it’s time to call it a night, Daniella. Zespian, as always, it is good to see you and have you on board to assist your nephews.”
“Yes, Vanderlan, I am proud of their accomplishments and happy that they, and you, have found your mate. I will do anything I can to assist in the protection of all.” Zespian bowed his head then walked away.
Daniella found the short conversation strange, and then she felt Vanderlan begin to walk her out of the kitchen and toward the other room. As they made it to a spare bedroom down the hallway, he turned her toward him after closing the door behind them.
He cupped her face and head as he pressed her back against the door.
“You must learn to not challenge my control of you, mate.”
She stared into his eyes and felt his need to block his thoughts from her. She closed her eyes, feeling a bit distant at the moment. Why was he doing that so much lately?
He covered her mouth with his own and began to kiss her deeply. He explored her mouth with his tongue and pressed his hips against her own. Immediately she felt his cock, and her pussy clenched with need for him.
The feel of his hands against her skin pressed under her shirt and over her breasts before he pulled from her mouth and tore the material from her body.
Next came her shorts and panties before he lifted her up against the solid oak door. Everything in the home was custom made. The doors were thick and solid, yet smooth against her back.
His mouth came down on hers again as he held her with one arm while he undid the zipper to his pants and shoved them down his legs.
Why was he trying so hard to block her and make her curiosity disappear? What was it about Zespian and the sensations she had?
He shoved against her, making her stir a moment as her spine made contact with the door again.
She gripped his shoulders as he moved his lips from her lips to her neck, scraping his teeth across her skin. She could no longer think of anything but Vanderlan’s cock inside of her, stroking her pussy and bringing her satisfaction.
He pressed the bulbous top to her pussy and shoved upward, making her lose her breath and grip him tighter. He sucked harder on her neck and began a series of fast thrusts into her, sending her moaning and reciprocating his moves.
She ran her hands up his solid arms and shoulders to his head and hair. She pulled on the locks as she pressed him harder against her, absorbing the stroke of his cock and the teeth against her skin as her need grew stronger.
“Mine,” he growled low against her neck, licking, sucking then pressing his teeth harder against the skin, breaking it. She jerked, her body exploded while he continued to fuck her against the door and feed from her blood.
She lost all focus. Her mind embraced the connection between them as Vanderlan exploded inside of her.
She held him to her in the aftershocks of their lovemaking. He panted against her neck and squeezed her tightly.
“I love you, sweet mate. You are more important to me than life itself,” he told her. She hugged him back and tightened her legs, which remained locked against him.
His cock stirred, still hard and ready for her again, but his mind revealed his need to help the others plan.
“Through you, I am truly part of the Fagan Pack now. They will need some help and I want to be sure to assist them.”
“I know, Vanderlan, and I love you, too,” she told him before kissing him softly on the lips.
He pulled from her body and gently settled her feet back onto the floor. They hugged before both of them began to redress.
* * * *
Vanderlan walked down the hallway toward the kitchen when he saw Zespian.
“Congratulations, Vanderlan. She is special.”
Vanderlan held Zespian’s gaze.
“How long have you known about her?” Vanderlan asked after he looked around to be sure no one was in earshot.
Zespian took a deep breath.
“Not long at all. I mean, I recognized the sensation, or should I say that my blood recognized and identified with hers? It didn’t register as anything more than perhaps the thought that you are more caring to the wolf packs than you’ve let on. You saved my life centuries ago as you saved her parents’ lives.”
Vanderlan didn’t want to talk about that night. He had no idea why he even helped the wolves, just that something stronger, more powerful than his own abilities cleared his mind of any negatives to helping them and forced him to step in. He could only come to the conclusion that those three wolves, Zespian, Farrow, and his mate Clara needed to survive. He never thought for a moment that Farrow and Clara’s child, their daughter, would be his mate and that of the Fagan Pack, Zespian’s nephews.
“It is quite amazing, the resemblance between Daniella and her mother. Her parents believe her to be dead,” Zespian told Vanderlan and he looked shocked. He thought that they had left this realm after being banned from their pack by the elders of Fagan for accepting a vampire’s help instead of dying. For centuries, the wolves and vampires were in conflict with one another. His relationship with the Alphas of Fagan Pack, Van, Miele, and Randolph, Bently, and Baher opened up many wolves’ minds to assist one another and be allies instead of enemies.
To know that a bond was forming between himself and the pack without his knowledge humbled him.
“The powers of the gods are great. There’s a reason for this connection and bond. Will you tell Daniella of her parents?” Zespian asked.
“You say they are not in this realm. Do you know how they parted ways with their daughter?”
Zespian sighed then swallowed hard.
“She was taken from them by a rogue wolf. Someone stepped in and saved her, but the threat was too big to return her to her parents. The fact that she is a healer explains it all. Healers are rare, and the need to protect them until their destiny calls takes precedence over parental love. A young healer, easily manipulated, could wind up in the wrong hands.”
“Well, she is where she belongs now, and we are her protectors.”
“Her parents will be beside themselves when they learn that she is still alive.”
“What?” Daniella asked as she emerged from the hallway.
Vanderlan turned toward her. He was so shocked at learning whose daughter she was and that her parents were alive that he never heard her approach. She did that to him. She weakened the walls of protection he had built over the centuries that had always blocked out the hurtful accusations and insults from those not of the bloodletters.
“Take my hand, Daniella.” Vanderlan reached his hand out to her. She hesitated, but he eased her mind and pushed a bit of control over her. She raised her eyebrows at him in defiance that made him smirk inside. She was truly an amazing mate. She was strong-willed, empowered, young, and beautiful.